Vangvieng: Backpacker’s paradise
On our way to Luang Prabang we stopped in a little backpacker town called Vangvieng, set in a beautiful spot along the Nam Xong river, right up against some of the most amazing limestone karsts we have ever seen. The town is a popular place for caving, tubing, and kayaking – so of course, we made a stop there to do just that.
Vangvieng is infamous for being a backpacker’s haven as it has a reputation of being a very “happy” place where travelers can easily get “happy”. In fact, most of the cafes in town have a page in the back of their menu called the “Happy Menu” where pretty much every basic item on the menu is offered in a “happy version” – pizza, sandwiches, shakes, omlettes – you name it. We don’t know exactly what added ingrediants make these foods and drinks “happy” but let’s just say that it’s not extra sweetner.
The main drag in Vangvieng is esentially a few blocks long and lined with open air cafes, restaurants and bars – all of which were playing an endless stream of “Friends” episodes over and over and over and over. At night, the street would be full of people but during the day, town felt pretty empty as most were most likely lounging along the river or tubing.
We stayed in a bungalow along the river with incredible views for $4/night. The guest house had its own patio cafe which extended over the water where you could stay for days just relaxing, reading and eating some of the great Laotian food they served there (and where Anthony would have stayed for days if we could have since they had ESPN). The photo below is a view of the sunset from the patio.
The next morning we joined a caving/tubing/kayaking trip for the day and ended up with an incredible group of travelers from all around the world (Israel, France, Sweden, Germany, and Holland) who we had a blast hanging out with all day. We started off with a short hike to a the cave that we tubed into and did some some exploring by foot. Then we had a quick lunch at the nearby village where one of our friends got wrapped up (involuntarily) in a love affair with the village monkey. After lunch, we hopped in our kayaks and made our way down the river back to Vangvieng. In the middle of the afternoon we made a pit-stop at a little riverside “rest-stop” where many other trip groups were resting. This rest stop is essentially was a bunch of bamboo platforms along the water with vendors selling beer and snacks and a collection of rope swings and ziplines. Needless to say, we spent an enjoyable few hours there drinking beer, drying off under the sun, and coming up with our best dismounts off the rope swing – fun for the whole family.
That night, the group met up for dinner at an organic cafe in town and then to a local festival where we had a great time drinking, dancing and learning a local dart game, which Shan somehow found a way to master. Much to our delight, there was a rockband playing what sounded like Lao folk and pop music that the locals loved and everyone was up dancing so all of us decided to join in on the action. Anthony and I danced next to the sweetest little old couple who tried to teach us the proper hand motions that are used in what we assumed was Laotian folk dancing. Though we would have loved to stay a few more days to rest and relax along the river, we set off for Luang Prabang.
For more pics from Vangvieng check out:http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanlovesphotos/sets/72057594055488354/
Best Eats:
Fried mulberry leaves – The leaves are friend and served with a sweet and sour-like dipping sauce. They are crispy like potato chips but have a very frangrant flavor similar to basil – AWESOME.
Laap – A traditional Laotian dish of minced marinated meat that is stir-fried with herbs (including strong contingency of mint and chili peppers) and spices. The dish is served with sticky rice.
Green papaya salad-Refreshing green papaya that is tossed with lime and chili peppers (and sometimes tomatoes) and is served cold. Caution: when you order it spicy, be prepared – they don’t kid around with their culinary fire in Laos.
Star fruit wine: Sweet and smooth just like icewine with a honeylike consistency. A must-try for any dessert wine lovers
– Shan
Tags: Laos, Laos, SE Asia, Travel
Shan